I will continue to serve children, education - Outgoing President

OUTGOING President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said although she will be leaving the reins of office she would continue to dedicate herself towards the protection of children and uplift of the country's education.

She said she would render her utmost to activities that will promote the welfare of the people despite leaving her decades long political life.

The outgoing President was addressing a ceremony to award scholarships to students at President's House.

The event titled "Neth Padamu" was organised by the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. Parallel to this was a felicitation ceremony to the outgoing President by Media Institutions coming under the Information and Media Ministry.

Addressing media heads President Kumaratunga observed that when she took over office a decade ago the media sector was plunged in chaos. She was able to change this state of affairs and establish maximum media freedom. She was certain that the new President would continue this trend.

Minister Dilan Perera speaking on the occasion said that President Kumaratunga will go down in history as a leader who brought about an attitudinal change in the people that banished communalism, religious division and war sentiment. It is the President who was in the forefront in advocating a political solution to the ethnic problem.

The Sri Lanka working journalists Association made use of the occasion to pay tribute to the President for her efforts to grant a pension to journalists.

A felicitation was also accorded to the outgoing President by the Ministry of Information and Media and institutions under it for her services and contribution towards the media sector.

Secretary of the Information and Media Ministry W.B. Ganegala and heads of State Media were present on the occasion.